Technology in the Classroom

Mainstream Technology as Learning Aids for Blind and Partially Sighted Students

Danika Blackstock & Mahadeo A. SukhaiMarch 25, 2017

2

What is a ”Culture of Accessibility?”

•Many ongoing discussions around accessibility in the sciences focus on the physical

• Limited discussions exist around accessibility in other contexts

•A “Culture of Accessibility” in the sciences is an open and inclusive environment within STEM training that fosters a holistic dialogue around accessibility, universal design and accommodation.

3

Challenges Faced by Students

• For the student:

• Disclosure of their disability;

• Advocacy around inclusive teaching and accommodation; and,

• Stresses associated with potentially being a trailblazer in their school or course/program

4

Challenges Faced by Educators

• For the educator:

• Understanding how to teach effectively to the student who is blind or visually impaired;

• Parsing the essential requirements of the scientific concepts, course or program; and,

• Communicating essential requirements to the student in an appropriate manner.

5

Challenges Faced by Accommodation Specialists

• For the accommodation specialist:

• Identifying appropriate accommodations, given the student’s visual impairment and the demands of the course, program or discipline.

• Smartphones and Tablets

• Mainstream Science Equipment Adapted for Use by the Blind or Partially Sighted Student

• Simulation Learning

6

Technology in the Classroom

Danika’s Story

• Fluctuating vision over lifetime caused by a stroke at age 2

• Visual field of less than 5 degrees, limited depth perception, night blind, eye fatigue and difficulties seeing black and white diagrams/font

•Attended public high school

• Current third year Undergraduate student at The University of Waterloo for Social Development Studies

8

Danika’s Story

• Adapting Hardware

• Custom Apps

• Low Vision Apps

• Mainstream Apps

9

Smartphones and Tablets

• iPad

• Laptop

•Pages or TextEdit

•Word processing applications used for notes

•Dropbox: online file storage system

•Online file storage and sharing website that works over internet

10

Mainstream Apps / Tech

11

GoodReader

12

Voice Dream

•KNFB scanning: turns pictures into OCR documents to allow a screen reader to read the content• Perfect for phone and tablet users

•Voice dream writer: allows documents to have both a screen reader as well as a word file that can be exported and saved into formats such as RTF

•Nearpod: allows students to connect either online or through an app to a teacher/profs screen. Able to see PowerPoint or smartboard in real time

13

Other Apps

Mahadeo’s Story

• Born with congenital caratacts in Georgetown, Guyana

• Diagnosis ~10 mo.

• Bilateral lens removal in the UK ~14 mo.

• Stable vision, legally blind

• Elementary education in the Caribbean – no educational or rehabilitation supports

• Secondary and postsecondary education in Toronto

• Earned Ph.D. in cancer genetics; postdoctoral fellowships in experimental therapeutics

• Head, Variant Interpretation Group, UHN Genome Diagnostics

15

Mahadeo’s Story

• Case Study #1: Custom Builds

• Case Study #2: Repurposed Common Equipment

• Case Study #3: Modifying Adaptive Technology

• Case Study #4: Low-Tech Solutions

16

Mainstream Equipment Adapted for Use

17

Cast Study #1: Custom Builds

18

Cast Study #2: Repurposed Common Equipment

19

Case Study #3: Modifying Adaptive Equipment

20

Case Study #4: Low-Tech Solutions

• Computer-Aided Simulations

• Gaming

• Hands-on Simulations

21

Simulation Learning

Any Technology Solution Must Meet the Essential Requirements of the Learning Environment

23

Essential Requirements

•Defined to be:

• A skill that must be necessarily demonstrated in order to meet the objectives of a course; and,

• A skill that must be demonstrated in a prescribed manner.

• Educators and service providers need to understand and think through the requirement and whether it is critical to the understanding and practice of the course, program, or discipline.

24

Essential Requirements (Cont.)

• There is a danger of conflating the measurement of the requirement with the “actual requirement.” For example, students with visual or physical disabilities may not necessarily need to “physically” carry out the experiments in the laboratory, but they do need the technical and scientific knowledge to instruct an assistant to carry out the precise measurements of the experiment.

25

Accommodations and Essential Requirements

• If a student is required to demonstrate a specific competency in their field, and this task requires help in order to complete, then the student has not demonstrated that competency effectively.

• If the student cannot demonstrate that competency without accommodation, and it is something that is crucial to their being able to effectively perform as a scientist in their field, then they cannot, by definition, be successful in that field.

26

Accommodations and Essential Requirements (Cont.)

• Therefore, the accommodation is not permissible – and, if there is a safety issue or patient care issue attached to this conversation, the student may not be permitted to continue in the course, program or discipline.

•Accommodations do not provide an advantage for the student; rather, they help the student compensate for the effects of his/her disability.

27

Accommodations and Essential Requirements (Cont.)

• The critical factor in providing reasonable accommodations is determining the essential evaluation components of a course and the extent to which accommodations are appropriate for a student with a disability.

• To determine this, the following questions may be asked:• What methods of assessing performance are absolutely

necessary, and why; and,• What alternative methods of evaluation could be considered to

determine the student’s appropriate level of knowledge or skills?

28

Assistive and Mainstream Technology

•Many learning needs of students who are blind or partially sighted in the sciences can be accommodated with the creative adaptation of mainstream and off-the-shelf technology or equipment.

• Adaptation of existing or readily available scientific equipment, or of newer technologies such as smart phones and tablets, can open up a range of accommodation possibilities in the teaching and research lab settings, and during fieldwork.

29

Assistive and Mainstream Technology (Cont.)

• In considering what technology solutions may be appropriate, it is important for the student, faculty member(s) and disability services staff to sit together – preferably with a technology expert – to discuss what task(s) the technology solution are intended to aid, the range of possible technology solutions, and what may likely be the best fit for the student based on their specific accommodation need(s).

30

Determining the Best Technological Solution

•Discussion around identifying the best mainstream technology solution for a student with a disability needs to begin with the student’s specific accommodation need in the context of the discipline, program or course, and the nature of the task(s) that the student needs help to perform.

•Additionally, the nature of the environment the student is in needs to be considered – is the student in a teaching lab, a research lab, or the fieldwork setting?

31

Determining the Best Technological Solution (Cont.)

•Once the group – student, faculty member(s), disability services staff, adaptive technology expert – have agreed upon the accommodation need, tasks and environment, consideration ought to be given to whether existing equipment in the lab, research institute, department or university can be adapted to aid the student, or whether a smart phone or tablet can provide a cost-effective and accessible solution.

32

Determining the Best Technological Solution (Cont.)

• If some combination of those two possibilities can provide the appropriate solution for the student, the group should proceed to field-test the solution and ensure, with the student’s input, that it is appropriate and effective.

33

Implementing Technology Solutions

• For students and parents…• Create peer support groups about technology solutions

for students who are blind or partially sighted in the sciences.

• For educators…• Provide a resource bank of innovative ways to adapt

mainstream and accessible devices for use in the science lab setting;

• Serve as an expert resource on blindness and low vision.

34

Implementing Technology Solutions (Cont.)

• For accommodation specialists…

• Develop a library of innovative technological accommodation solutions for accommodation specialists to utilize as a resource;

• Serve as an expert resource on blindness and low vision.

35

Creating a Culture of Accessibility in the Sciences

• For more information about Creating a Culture of Accessibility in the Sciences, or for resource development/consultation, or speaking requests, please contact:• Dr. Mahadeo A. Sukhai

• Email: m.sukhai@utoronto.ca

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mahadeo-sukhai

• Creating a Culture of Accessibility in the Sciences: http://store.elsevier.com/Creating-a-Culture-of-Accessibility-in-the-Sciences/Mahadeo-Sukhai-/isbn-9780128040379/

Questions&

Discussion